Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-14
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
Letters of Senator jam IS F. Wilson of Iowa
tothe Fairfield Ledger.
LETTER NO. VII.
FAIRFIELD, low, Mav 81, Is

the San Francisco Journal Of Commerce
81 article appeared from which I copy
the following paragraph, viz:
/ at has been suggested for some time
I past that the Canadian Pacific would be a
formidable competitor TO our railroads
under the interstate commerce Iaw. The
time has az last come. Yesterday the
/ 'Walla Walla, which has been long en-
ploTed in the coal trade between here
and Seattle, went out with her first cargo
! Of merchandise matter. II consisted Of
! G29, 400 pounds Of sugar, valued 81 : o.
| SO, shipped by the American Sugar Re
! hnery, and -, $50 pounds OF WOOL, valued
$3.50. The suEsr w-s destined for 81.
I Paul, vis the Canadian Pacific: the wool
! for Boston over the same road. These,
/ u course, viii not be the last shipped
/ this wGy, unless section t OF the inter
state commerce law is suspended Gs far
/ as concerns shipments over the Central,
( Northern and Southern Pacific. We may
/ expect for the next two or three months
many million pounds Of sugar and coffee,
/ tea, salmon, Wool, VINE and lumber 20
| hnd their way east by the same means"
| OF course this loss of traffic is ell
charged up to the Interstate commerce.
! law Dv the managers Of our trSnSCOpti-
mental railroad IinGs. The question has
/ been asked, with seeming seriousness:
"FOT all this diversion Of trade over
/ Canadian roads and through Canadian
cities, what return benefit comes TO the
people of the United States, or to any Of
i their interests?u
The case stated by the Journal OF Com
merce is easily understood both SIS TO its
source and purpose. Ii originated VITA
/ the managers OF the transcoutinental
railroads Of the United States, and its
. purpose Is 10 create & feeling Of hostility
/ towards the Interstate commerce law.
/ Said managers, in order 10 effect this
/ purpose, are willing for u time to saCr.-
/ ice part OF the through business Of
their roads, and let il Eo II the Canadian
/ Pacific. But the scheme IS too trans
parent TO long deceive Cny person who
/ VIII give it 8 little serious thought.
/ Does any person believe that the c.
madam Pacific is carving this diverted
! freight st 3 loss2 II not, then why can
not the roads Of the United States carry
/ Is 81 the same, or even less, rates
/ than their Canadian competitor? Its
/ local traffic is not a great 8sthgirs. Nor
/ il the territory which If traverses deygl-
opinE in any such degree as thst which
furnishes business 80 Inc roads # THIS
country. Every person who is well in
formed in rcspec. Of r4urosG gfIaiTs and
conditions knows that the Canadian Pa
ciEc cannot carry through traffic a. G
I less and remain s successful competitor
/ OF the roads Of the United States, foy the
reason Ilatits volume Of local business
/ Is not sufficient 20 sustain the burden
imposed by such loss and to supply IN al
dition thereto revenue enough 10 pay the
operating expenses and interest and div
ideuds on the bonds and stock represent
/ ing the cost OF construction. Well if it
! is not carrying the through traffic st a
/ loss, that IS the end Of the case presented,
! SO far as Il is intended 10 create 9 feel
I ing OF hostility il the minds Of our peC.
p.e towards the Interstate commerce
/ law. II the Canadian Pacific is making &
profit on the through traffic it has taken
tfr0m our transcon,inertaI railroads., the
latter can get back the business by meet
/ ing the rates OF the former, and this fact
/ punc+uyes tho case gnd cfTactugllv dis